Based in Athens, Georgia, USA, the University of Georgia (UGA) is a major public university serving over 30,000 students. This past Spring semester, 2011, 19 of these students participated in a 3-hour credit Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS), Costa Rican Culture and Ecology, meeting once a week for two hours over the course of the semester. They also had the opportunity to spend nine days getting an immersion experience at the school’s satellite campus, UGA Costa Rica, located in San Luis de Monteverde.
Reflecting UGA Costa Rica’s institutional commitment to the Earth Charter, students were asked to read the book, Earth Charter in Action. Their final assignment involved writing a paper that showed how the Earth Charter was being put into action by a group or organization at the University of Georgia, with each student specifically focusing on connecting those activities to one principle of the Earth Charter. Two of the students, Amanda Lee and Maria Kelly, then compiled these papers together to form one publication called: Earth Charter in Action at the University of Georgia, Athens.
Their work revealed that, while we are still far from achieving the vision of the Earth Charter, there are meaningful actions already being taken by both groups and individuals that are moving us forward on the journey towards sustainability.
UGA Costa Rica, as an endorser of the Earth Charter, is committed to the spirit and goals of the Earth Charter, including building sustainable communities, stewarding our natural resources, respecting all forms of life, and offering engaging educational experiences for those who visit their Costa Rica campus. To find out more, please visit their website at www.ugacostarica.com.